The BMI Foundation awarded a $5,000 scholarship this week to Katie Pruitt, a Belmont student.

“First of all, I want to thank my parents,” Pruitt said from the podium. “When I was a little girl I put on productions in my garage and they even supported me then, even though it was crazy. I want to thank my friends because they’re awesome and honest and cool and always have my back.”

She continued, “I want to thank the professors at Belmont that are always so supportive and just take the time to talk to you, and take the time answer questions, and take the time to listen to your music, and give you honest feedback. It’s just a safe place. I’m happy I ended up there. It’s definitely where I belonged. I also want to thank BMI for supporting new music and giving people a chance to find themselves through a song because it’s so important.”

Before playing the award-winning song, “Ordinary,” she added, “A couple of years ago I was at school in Athens, Georgia, at a little community college down there, and I was just doing the freshman thing, going to bars and drinking and didn’t know who I was and didn’t really know what I wanted to do. So I wrote this song in the midst of all that.”

The BMI Foundation routinely awards scholarships, grants and commission to songwriters around the country, but this award marks the first given to someone in the Nashville songwriting community.

Pruitt was voted the unanimous winner by a panel of top songwriters, including BMI songwriters Kacey Musgraves, Rodney Clawson and Mark Brown. The foundation celebrated with a reception in the BMI Nashville office on Monday (May 15).